UnClutter the Heart: Presence

The day has finally arrived! For the last several weeks we have been talking about preparing our hearts for the coming of Christ, and today all of the waiting and preparing is over. We have arrived at the manger - some perhaps for the first time, some for many times, to gaze on the Christ child. 

But when we arrive at the manger, we are not alone. In the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke, we find that the birth of Jesus is first announced to shepherds, who lived outside of the community in the fields. They were just doing their job - tending the flocks, when angels showed up with a life changing message for them. I have good news, that is going to be a source of joy to all people, the Messiah has been born. Now get up and go, because the sign for you that these things are true is a child, wrapped in bands of cloth, lying in a manger. 

Into the quiet of the evening, when the rest of the world was at rest, comes this glorious angel chorus leading the shepherds to go. To go and see. To go and meet the Lord. 

Friends, there is not many quiet spaces left in this world. Not many places where we can be still and rest. Yet, as we take time this day, perhaps in the middle of our celebration, perhaps at its beginning, we come. We come, just like the shepherds did so long ago to come and meet our Savior. To come and meet the presence of God with us. 

I don’t know what brought you here tonight. Maybe it was memories of Christmas Eves gone by. Maybe its a searching in your spirit that you just can’t let go of. Maybe it is something different all together. Whatever led you here, it is my hope and prayer that you meet Christ. That as you stare into the manger, like the shepherds, you find what your heart is longing for. That you feel the presence of God. 

Because Jesus is not just a babe born long ago. He is God’s love in the flesh. He is the message that no matter what brought us here today, and what we are carrying with us to the manger - God loves us. 

Christ is also the one who brings hope to this world. Often we read from Matthew and Luke this time of year, hearing the Christmas story. But there is another story as well. One that we find in the Gospel of John, Chapter 1. Hear now these words:In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being  in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

Friends, that is the joy that the angels told the shepherds about. That Christ has come as the light to bring us life. 

Christ alone is life-giving. He breaths life and brings about light. When there is only darkness, physically or spiritually, there is chaos. We cannot see. We don’t know what to do. We don’t know who we are. And even though the forces of darkness and chaos are among us today, we have a hope in the Light of Christ. We celebrate tonight that the light of the world was born. 

But that’s also not a message that can just be contained to this evening. One of the hymns that we sing around this time of year goes something like this “O come let us adore him”. Evelyn Underhill is a spiritual writer and she describes adoration in this way, “awestruck delight in the splendor and beauty of God… not a difficult religious exercise, but an attitude of the soul.” 

Church, Christ didn’t come to make a religion. He came to change us down to our very spiritual core. Something that only he can do. And that’s why we gather. That’s why we adore him. That’s what this night is about.

We gather together and sing our familiar songs and light candles. But in doing we remember why Jesus came. We remember the gifts that first proclaimed to the shepherds of Good News and joy and that the Savior has been born. And we lean into the hope of it all. A hope that Christ will never be overcome by the darkness. A light that we live in the midst of each and every day. We are drawn to the light of Christ as we see the light of candles. With every dance of the flame we once again renew our yearning to find life and hope and strength in Christ, the Word became flesh. We invite Christ into the chaos of our lives and ask him to ignite our hearts for him. 

As we look around at flickering candles we remember that we did not create the light, we simply shine it for others. We simply wait together this evening, in hopeful expectation for the one who spoke light and life into being. The same one who came to dwell among us as the Light of the World. The same one who is with us this evening and every day who lights our path, drawing us closer to God.

Sitting on my desk at home is a Willow Tree figure. She is holding out a single, lit candle and bears the name “Angel of Hope”. How appropriate. For surely we find hope in the light of the Lord and are called to bear that light to others. The hope of God with us. The hope that we find this evening in the Gospel of John and the Gospel of Luke. That’s where our attention lies in the quiet of this moment. 

Because here’s the thing. What we value - that’s what deserves our attention. So I want to not let this moment go without drawing our attention to the only one who is worthy of our adoration and praise. I don’t know why you came brothers and sisters, but I’ve been praying for this moment right here, right now, this service, to be one where we connect deeply with the light of the world.

Whatever need you may have come into this place with - Christ can meet you there. Whatever deep longing in your heart you may have - Christ can be present with you there. Whatever your spirit is crying out for tonight - Christ can be with you there. Because the message of tonight is that our God is able and nothing, nothing can block out the light and love of this moment, at this cradle, where the savior was born. 

So may you meet him here again. As we light candles and sing songs, may the light of Christ get into your spirit. Let us come and worship, the Light of the World. Amen.